Democracy In Germany

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1947, Page 5

Democracy In Germany

(Rec. 3.30 p.m.) MOSCOW, Mar. 14. Mr Marshall, continuing the debate on the clcmocratisation of Germany, told the Foreign Ministers’ conference that America did not consider a society democratic if “men who respect the rights of their fellow-men are not free to express their own feelings and convictions without fear that they may be refused the right of work or be snatched away from their. homo and family.” Mr Marshall said that in the opinion of the United States delegation, there was no unified guarantee of c.ivic rights for political parties and trade unions in all parts of Germany, neither was there a unified guarantee of freedom of the Press and radio in all parts of Germany. “The United States delegation considers that there is no longer any cause to limit the movement of Germans within the country,” he said. “The time has come to put' a stop to all restraints.” . > UNRESTRICTED ACCESS Mr Marshall added that until all Germans enjoyed unrestricted access to information of all kinds, anti-demo-cratic ideas would never be eliminated. Referring to the Potsdam decision to reconstitute Germany's political life on a democratic basis, Mr Marshall said the directive should have been made more precise with the object of introducing unified measures in_ all zones of Germany. Ho said free German political parties should be enabled to participate in a free, competitive election system in which each coulcUobtain just representation.

j Free, autonomous trade unions I should also be enabled to carry on I their activities in accordance with cite wishes of their members. He added that the uniform move- ; ment of persons and goods throughout Germany must be guaranteed. PRESS, RADIO FREEDOM Mr Marshall] dwelling on the lack of Press and radio freedom throughout Germany, said: "If any anti-demo-cratic ideologies are to be forever eliminated in Germany, we must permit Germans to enjoy unrestricted access to all information contained in the Press, radio, books, magazines, films, theatres and music.” , v Mr kjarshall declared that the Allies would never democratise Germany merely by the negative process of depriving the Nazis of their positions of influence, i M. Molotov stated that he did not entirely agree with Mr Marshall’s definition of a democracy, but said he would answer that later. [ M. Molotov emphasised, however, I that he did not think freedom of speech and of the Press should allow propaganda of Nazi doctrines or doctrines with aggressive tendencies. •

GERMAN PRISONERS All three western powers gave to the Foreign Ministers’ Council their figures of German war prisoners held thus, says the Associated Press, forcing M. Molotov's promise to produce Soviet figures, which he said would be ready later tonight. . Mr Bevin said the British had 435.295 war prisoners outside Germany ; who were being repatriated at a rate of 17,000 a month, the rate to be increased to 20,000 a month on July 1. M. Bidault reported that the French had a total of 641.483 war prisoners, including 593.267 in France. 19,601 in Africa and 18-606 in the French zone of Germany.

Mr Marshall said the United States had 103 German .war prisoners sick or imprisoned in America, 1175 in France and 13,825 in Italy. They also had' 8000 Germans in labour units in the American zone of Germany, but they were to be swiftly dispersed. JUDGES IN U.S. ZONE Mr Marshall, answering M. Molotov’s criticism that 35 per cfent. of German judges in the American zone were former Nazis, said that 35 per cent, of the judges were former members of the German judicial system who had been cleared of any Nazism. Mr Bevin told M. Molotov that he .had not come to Moscow to place the Government in a costly position such as resulted from Potsdam. Mr Bevin implied that the snap decisions on political and economic matters reached at Potsdam, without proper coordination, had resulted in contradiction and confusion. Mr Bevin reminded the conference of the demands he made at New York that before German reparations were discussed at Moscow, full figures should be available of what had been removed from all zones. The conference adjourned.